


Shattered Glass

by auteurdelabre



Category: Split (2016)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Horror, Inspired by a Movie, Psychological Horror, Slow Burn, Unexpected Visitors, Weird
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2018-12-19 13:45:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11898990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auteurdelabre/pseuds/auteurdelabre
Summary: Its been five years since Philadelphia was rocked with the discovery of The Beast.  Yet, after that fateful day at the zoo, he has not been seen again. However a recent string of murders of young, pretty high school girls has David Dunn wondering if there is some connection and he turns to the last person he thought he'd ever see again for help. Meanwhile Casey Cooke, now a university student still haunted by nightmares of her past doesn't realize that her part in the Horde's plan is far from finished. And is brought back into the darkness she fought so hard to escape.A story of adventure, unexpected romance, scary stuff and explaining WHY the Beast is the way he is, we come to the final chapter in the saga of David Dunn, Casey Cooke, The Beast and Mr. Glass. A story of good and evil and why its not always as clear as it seems.Note: While there will be a wrap-around story about my imaginings of this final installment/the next movie - I will be focusing on Casey and her romantic entanglements because... well, I want to. Feedback is not only welcomed its ENCOURAGED and APPRECIATED.





	1. Chapter 1

_“Did I finally reach the limits of reason and find the Devil waiting?” – Batman_

** Prologue  **

“ ** _LET ME OUT OF HERE!_** ”

When silence greeted her the thin redhead let out a strangled sob and crawled to the corner of the cold room, the silence almost as oppressive as the fear suffocating her. Maggie Jansen had been locked away in this dark room for at least a day. No one had spoken to her demanding ransom, her body or anything else. And to her that left only one possibility left – murder. Her body shook with horror at this though. She glanced around the small room taking in the bed, the toilet at one corner beside the cleaning supplies. Where the fuck was she? And why could no one hear her? She’d been screaming for hours! She went over the last twenty four hours hurriedly through her mind.

She could remember being taken. By a man with glasses who must have been waiting for her outside her high school. She’d stayed late to help with winter formal decorations and the sun was already setting by the time she left. She’d been listening to her iPod, distractedly daydreaming about the beautiful dark blue dress she and her mother had bought the week before as she walked. She cut down the alley near the school, taking a shortcut as it was growing darker by the second.

She hadn’t even heard him walk up behind her.

All she remembered was the panic as he grabbed her, whirling her around. It was then that she saw the the steeliness of his eyes behind glasses and the medical mask he wore over his mouth as he began spraying something into her face. Then… only darkness.

_How am I going to get out of here?_

Maggie tried to slow her heartbeat. She had to focus if she was going to get out of here. She started to crawl around the edges of the room, feeling for anything that may indicate what kind of room she was in. A breeze to indicate she could escape. When she found nothing like that she searched for a fallen nail, something she could use against her attacker when the time came.

Still nothing.

She felt exhaustion start to overtake her and she swallowed a sob that threatened to escape. She dragged herself over to the bed and lay atop the sheets, her hand handing off the edge. She continued to cry gently, her brain a mix of fear and distraction. Her sweater caught on something half hidden between the mattresses and she paused. She rolled over, pulling the item out from between the mattresses. She held the item up and in the faint darkness it shimmered.

It was a necklace, a silver necklace with the name _Hailey_ engraved on the pendant. This was a young girl’s necklace.

_There have been other girls trapped here._

The knowledge that she wasn’t the first in this homemade dungeon made her stomach churn. If these girls had escaped then surely this maniac would have been caught by now. Maggie suddenly felt a chill run through her body.

She was about to scream when she heard the shuffling of footsteps. She quickly placed the necklace back between the mattresses, unsure of what use it was to her. Without warning the door opened and the man with the glasses was there. But…different.

He was wearing a dress walked delicately into the room, tightening his shawl around his shoulders and holding a plate with a sandwich on it; perfectly cut down the center. He wasn’t wearing his glasses, but was wearing a soft pink lip gloss on his full lips.

“I thought you may be feeling peckish,” the man said in a soft British lilt. “I’ve brought a peanut butter and honey sandwich.”

Maggie could see nothing but darkness behind the man. Was there another door? Perhaps more people out there ready to attack her should she try to escape? Her eyes drew back to the figure in the doorway looking down at her with an almost maternal expression.

“I don’t want a sandwich,” Maggie rasped out, her voice scratchy from the screaming. “I want to know what’s going on. Why did you take me? Is it money?”

“Tsk tsk, such a temper,” the man tutted. “And after I was trying to be civil.”

Maggie stood shakily, her light eyes fixed on the sandwich. She could feel her stomach rumbling and her mouth began to water at the thought of the food. She looked back up into the face of the man who was still simpering at her.

“What kind of game is this?” Maggie scoffed shakily. She was finding it hard to breathe. What was this guy’s deal? Stealing girls, dressing up in drag, acting like different people?

“Game?”

Maggie shook her head, instead focusing on the meal in front of her.

“How do I know it’s not poisoned?”

The man quirked an eyebrow in exasperation and placed the plate on her bed before he grabbed one of the halves and bit into it delicately, chewing and swallowing quickly.

“Satisfied?”

Maggie slowly moved her way towards the man, her eyes never leaving his face. She grabbed the other half of the sandwich like a wary animal and then jumped back to her place in the corner. The man watched her in interest, his hands clasped in front of him effeminately.

“Your hair is such a lovely color,” the man said gently. “They say red-heads have been kissed by fire.” Maggie chose not to reply to this bizarre comment and instead swallowed the sandwich quickly before she went to question the man further. She wanted to keep her emotions in check but she could already feel tears starting to fall down her cheeks and the hiccup in her voice betrayed how scared she really felt.

“Why am I here? If its money you want from kidnapping me, I need to contact my parents. ”

At the word ‘parents’ Maggie felt the sobs begin to wrack her body. The tears fell freely now from her eyes and she bent over at the thought of never seeing them again. The man seemed to wince a bit at this display, swallowing thickly himself and reaching into his dress pocket to pull out a yellow flower.

“You’re mistaken,” the man said in a soft tone as he drew towards Maggie. “No, no I’m afraid brutality is not my strong suit. That would have been Dennis who took you.”

Maggie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, a childish move that made her seem even younger than her seventeen years. She wrinkled her nose at the name in confusion at what the man was saying to her. She winced as he approached, looking down at her as she spoke.

“Dennis?”

“He’s the fellow who brought you to us,” the man said with a soft smile, placing the flower behind the girl’s ear and smiling in satisfaction. “Tonight however it falls on me to explain tonight’s activities. And your purpose here.”

The man indicated for Maggie to join him on sitting on the edge of the bed but Maggie declined with a brusque shake of her head. The man, nonplussed, continued on in a very calm and almost soothing manner.

“You have been brought here because you have been _chosen_.”

“Chosen for what?” Maggie interrupted.

The man shot her a severe look, indicating that she should remain silent, before continuing in that same smooth, calming manner.

“Chosen to help further our cause,” he said with a grim smile. “You are sacred and your bodily sacrifice means that our mission may move forward. To bring humanity into a new age of reality.”

“W-what mission?” Maggie whispered between sniffles. “What are you talking about?”

“The Beast will be here soon,” the man continued, not listening to her. “Please don’t be afraid. Know that your sacrifice will serve as a stepping stone to a higher evolution of humanity. When the Beast has enough strength, the world will be forever changed. I hope this brings you comfort.”

_The Beast._

That term caused an eerie silence to fall on the two figures in the room. Maggie could feel her heart hammering in her chest at these words. The Beast. Hadn’t she read something about this in the papers? She couldn’t remember.

“The Beast?” the girl choked on a sob. “What kind of a Beast?”

The man stood from the bed, smoothing his skirt down gently and striding to the door. He glanced over his shoulder at the girl, his hand on the doorknob.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

With that, the man turned and strode out the door.

“No wait-“

Before Maggie could choked out a reply the door shut and locked. Maggie threw herself against the door, pounding and screaming for this man to let her go. That she would pay him whatever he wanted, that her parents made a lot of money. That she would do anything he asked. Anything!

But she was greeted with silence, as was becoming customary. Maggie sniffled gently before moving to the bed and collapsing. The flower crushed against her head and the mattress.

***

Maggie didn’t know how long she was asleep before she heard the creak of the door as it opened. The room was bathed in a sliver of light through the darkness now, the lights all off but the glow of another room highlighting the shadows. She could make out the faint shapes in the room but all she heard was the low, guttural breathing of an animal.

_It’s a wild animal._

At first she had the mad thought that they had let a wolf into the room.

The low grumble and sniffing indicated something not quite human. She pretended to be sleeping, her body unable to stop quaking as the breathing got closer.

“I know you’re awake,” came a low, rasping tone from the end of her bed. “Stand.”

Maggie felt like she was going to vomit. Shakily she moved to the side of the bed, standing and trying to keep from falling over. Her eyes went to the inky blackness at the edge of her bed

_It’s the Beast._

The idea ran through her head and she couldn’t help but fixate on it.

_The Beast. The Beast. The Beast. He’s not human. He’s going to kill me._

“Why are you doing this?” Maggie asked, her eyes searching for the figure in the darkness.

Slowly, as if a light had been shone on a painting he came into view. The tall, pale figure of The Beast. His body was thick with muscles, his neck’s tendons stretched impossibly thick. His hands were fists at his side and the smile he wore was sadistic. His eyes though. It was his eyes that caused Maggie to swallow a scream. Like a shark’s dead eyes – only blackness. Like a black, polished pebble. There was no humanity in those eyes. And when he spoke, Maggie saw the sharpness of his teeth.

“Those who have not suffered are not evolved,” the Beast rasped, breathing heavily. “Those who sail through life untouched by darkness can never appreciate the light.”

Maggie backed up against the wall beside the bed, her body sweating madly. She felt a chill go through her body as the man, no the monster, drew closer to her. His bare feet making a slapping sound as he got closer to her.

“I don’t understand,” Maggie choked out.

“Your duty is not to understand,” the Beast whispered. “Your duty is to die.”

“No!” Maggie screamed, her body shaking all over. “No please. Why are you doing this?”

“Your cries do nothing to stop me,” The Beast insisted, inches away from Maggie now. She could feel the warm breath on her cheek and she cowered. “You are sacred food. You have been chosen and you will bring me closer to the start of a new world.”

“Please,” Maggie whimpered, her hands going defensively out in front of her. “Please don’t do this.”

“Don’t you see?” The Beast growled, his eyes a mirror of inky blackness as he drew closer to the crying girl. “It _must_ be done.”

Then he attacked.


	2. A New Life

_For youth is your greatest weapon, your greatest tool. Use it wisely.” – Wonder Woman_

 

Chapter 1 

 

Casey awoke with a gasp, her dark eyes wide with fright.

Her breathing was shallow, uneven and she was slick with sweat. She took a shuddering breath in, leaning back on her elbows in the narrow bed. Greg stirred beside her, his voice thick with sleep.

“You okay?”

Disoriented, Casey ignored the voice at her elbow, instead forcing herself to breathe evenly. She had to slow her heartbeat. She had to calm herself. He couldn’t hear her. She had to be quiet. So quiet.

_“Remember,” she could almost hear her father’s sweet reassuring voice; "The sound of a snapped twig is quickly forgotten by the hunter, but long remembered by the quarry."_

_‘Yes. I have to be so quiet,’_ Casey thought through a blaze of panic. _‘He won’t find me if I’m quiet.’_

_“But you’re not being hunted anymore, are you Casey? You don’t need to think like that. You’re safe now.”_

There was the voice of her psychiatrist, Doctor Cotton. A soft name for a soft man she supposed. The feeble looking man with large glasses and a stained smile who always seemed to be perpetually sweating. He may have been awkward to look at, but his advice was always useful. The dorm room was quiet and still. No one was even partying outside. She felt Greg’s protective arm around her waist as she yanked the bedsheets over her, pulling her into an embrace.

Even after a year together, she still wondered what he saw in her. Why he continued to stay with her despite the frequent nightmares, the screaming, the tears, the endless therapist appointments. They hadn’t even slept together – Casey knew that would be too much. Even having him sleeping in the same bed as she was was still a bit overwhelming at times. However, having his lanky frame embracing her right now, she felt a swell of contentment she had rarely been accustomed to.

“Do you remember what it was about?” Greg whispered against her forehead. “Was it about… _him_?”

“I-I’ll be right back.” Casey capitulated out of the bed, limping out into the hall and into the communal bathroom. No one was there and without the lights there was an ominous feeling. She felt her bare feet against the cool tile, her hands trembling as she turned the sink tap. She ran the water, remembering what Doctor Cotton had told her about box breathing. _1…2…3…4._ She inhaled deeply, creating the square in her mind.

She felt the water grow icy and she cupped her hands underneath before splashing it on her pale face. It jolted her awake, causing her nerves to sharpen. She glanced up into the mirror, seeing her frightened reflection staring back at her.

Even at twenty–one with a new life she still felt like she looked like that scared teenager from so many years ago. She hated it. She scowled at her reflection. She hated seeing that victim that lingered inside her.

She shivered in the darkness, wanting a moment to gather her thoughts before returning to the sweet, warm embrace of Greg. She couldn’t remember what had frightened her so badly in the dream. She rarely remembered them when she woke up. And since the incident almost five years ago she was still rarely able to sleep through the night. Often she awoke clawing at her bed sheets and moaning for the Beast not to hurt her.

She had come to Hudson University four years ago in hopes that she could forget the horrible life she used to live. The Beast. Her Uncle John now serving time in prison. There were times when she couldn’t determine which was worse.

Greg had been in a bunch of her art classes through the years. He was majoring in graphic design and was remarkably talented. He drew a funny cartoon the first day in an Art History class that made her smile. It had taken him two and a half years before he finally got the courage to ask her out. It had surprised them both when she agreed. The relationship had been everything Casey could have hoped for. He took his time with her, never rushed anything.

He was funny and easy to talk to. Yes, he was obsessed with football and sometimes a little too dedicated to his schoolwork, but these were obsessions that Casey could respect and even at times, admire. She was amazed at how seamlessly he worked within every social circle he encountered. People smiled when he entered a room. He was likeable, that was just it. He was a nice, cool guy and she still didn’t quite believe that they were together.

And while she trusted Greg in a way she hadn’t trusted a man since her father, she could still never seem to tell him about…The Beast. About Kevin and Hedwig and Patricia and Dennis. And since she had been underage during the incident, thankfully her name and photo had been kept from the papers and the internet.

She didn’t want the stigma of her experience to carry through with her the rest of her life. The subtle limp in her walk from the experience was enough of a memento for her.

And now she was about to graduate with a degree in Art History in the spring. Not much in the way of job security, but having the chance to dive headway into worlds and artwork so unlike her own had been gratifying in a way nothing else had. It felt so safe in the sterile classrooms of the university.

When people talked to her she felt like she could be more free to give a tentative smile. They didn’t know she had been the high school weirdo. That she'd been kicked out of classes. They didn’t know what she’d been through. At this university she was a decent student that didn’t get kicked out of classes. She had a healthy GPA, a loving boyfriend and she was graduating with a sense of purpose. She was waiting to see about a fellowship at a few places before deciding what direction she was headed.

The world was ahead of her.

Her father’s inheritance had left her a nice little nest egg. Nothing major, but enough to help her start in life. She and Greg had talked about moving in together after graduation. A cute little apartment in Michigan or maybe even Portland. Far enough away from Philadelphia. Far away from unpleasant memories.

The door to her dorm room creaked open before she shut it, tiptoeing back into bed beside the blonde young man sleeping lightly. He nuzzled into her neck, placing a gentle kiss on her jaw before settling back onto the pillow. She had unloaded everything about her Uncle on Greg over the years and he had taken it in stride. She still couldn’t believe the endless patience that he displayed. The kindness in his hazel eyes that never wavered. Even now in the darkness, she knew he was gazing at her with that same sweet, tender and loving gaze.

“You okay, babe?”

“Sometimes I’m so scared he’s going to come for me,” Casey whispered into the darkness. “That he’s going to finish what he started.”

“Never,” Greg insisted, pulling her into him tighter. “Not when I’m around.”

Casey felt the tears stinging the back of her eyes, listening to the steady thrum of Greg’s heart under her ear. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that when the Beast wanted something, there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.


	3. Unlikely Salvation

_“Life and death… they are only like changing subway trains to me as I ride through eternal life.”  —_ **_Immortal Man_ **

 

 

The man was silent, still and imperceptible to the individuals that shuffled through the streets around him. Their heads down, their eyes locked on their phone or tablet screens. Several smiled at one another, a group of teenage boys brayed loudly to his right. A group of older women scowled and went back to chatting.

 Despite the din in the street, there was a strange calm about it. How serene these individuals were. He glanced into the restaurant he passed, viewing a young mother cradle her son in her arms within the sling she wore. She cooed gently at the small creature who gurgled up at her with trusting and adoring eyes.

 _How utterly perfect_ , the man thought bitterly.

The man felt his hand curl into a tight fist, loosening a moment later when a car came rattling down the street, causing the chatter to be swallowed by the sounds of Philadelphia, slightly muted with the snowfall. A woman’s voice sounded to his right, the scent of perfume wafting over him. So much sensory overload.

He walked quickly on, the groceries under his arm. The man glanced furtively around, his eyes wide and focused. This was his favorite part of the week. All these people to watch and silently pass judgment. They never noticed him.  He melted into the background as he strode through them. Without noticing they parted like Moses’ Red Sea and he swam through them, groceries in tow. 

Despite his face being plastered over every screen for a solid three years, he had never been caught.  Not even close. He’d played it safe. He grew his hair out and wore a beard. With thick glasses and a new voice he was scarcely recognizable. All they really had to go on was a blurry staff photos taken at the zoo he had previously worked at, and a profiling sketch Casey had described to the police.

Cobbled together the images sort of resembled him, but only just. No one could be sure it was him. And with his new look, it was nearly impossible. Besides in the last few years it seemed that interest in him had died down anyway.

It had been five years since the ‘event.’ Five years since he took those girls to his underground lair. Five years since… He shook his head slightly, knowing that the memory would never be his. He had only seen the remnants of that night.

He wasn’t The Beast after all. But seeing the destruction of those girls and the quick healing of his body made him realize the severity of it. The Beast truly would serve the world the reckoning they so deserved.

He thought of the ridicule the past personas had lambasted him with in the past. When he and Patricia had brought the Beast’s existence into the fore. The mockery, the sneers. Who was laughing now? Not them. They had been banished completely. All that remained were he, Hedwig, Patricia and The Beast. The perfect four. Patricia, she was a strong comrade in this battle.

The boy, however, Hedwig was mostly useless. It infuriated him that this little snot-nosed brat could control the light so well. Why and how was this possible? He was weak, childish.

He walked out into the street, the snow falling in gentle taps along his shoulder. He pulled his jacket closer to him, his eyes focused suddenly, his eyes narrowed and his back straight. He observed a woman ahead with her boyfriend, drinking a hot chocolate. For a moment he wished he could indulge in the sweet beverage. But no, that was a rule Miss Patricia had insisted upon. Remain unseen. Grabbing a drink in a crowded café was a sure fire way to get caught. And they still had so much to accomplish.

And so he put all thought of the sweet milky treat out of his head, resigned to whatever watery coffee remained back home. He was about to turn onto the side street when the hot chocolate woman bumped into him, drops from her cup landing on his arm and seeping into the dark fabric.

Almost immediately the man could feel the panic hit him. The germs, the filth that was seeping into his very pores. All because this stupid slut couldn’t watch where she was going. His steely gaze went from his arm and slowly up the woman’s body before landing on her face. 

“Oh shit,” the girl gasped, glancing up at him with a sheepish look. “I’m so sorry! I tripped!”

There was a sickening silence before Dennis’ low and guttural voice was heard.

“You’ve soiled my jacket,” he replied through gritted teeth, his jaw clenching in anger. “You’re a dirty slob, and you’ve gotten your disgusting filth on my jacket. I’ll have to wash this now.  Twice just to make sure.”

He could feel the anger welling up in his chest, his eyes darkening. He could feel his hands clenching. The girl’s boyfriend who had been mostly silent up until that point stood in front of her, pushing her behind him.

“Hey, leave her alone,” the young man offered shakily, looking into the furious face of Dennis. The young man gulped thickly, his freckles stood out on his paling face. “It was an accident.”

Dennis chuckled mirthlessly at this, his mouth pulling into an unimpressed sneer.

“An accident,” Dennis repeated his eyes on the young man. “Kind of like _this_ accident?”

  
At this, Dennis raised an arm in fury, watching with satisfaction as the young man winced, holding a hand in front of his face. Dennis smirked darkly as he brought his fist downwards quickly, waiting for the satisfying crunch of the boy’s face under his fist. The girlfriend was about to scream, her hot chocolate dropped when suddenly…

Nothing.

The fist remained in the air before slowly being drawn to Dennis’ side. His posture had changed to be straighter, his eyes softer; less flinty. He smiled warmly at the couple who were shaking as they stared at him.

“I’m terribly sorry,” the man before them now offered in a cooing tone. “I’ve had a terribly long day and I’m afraid your drink was just the tip on the iceberg. I apologize. Please, ignore me and, here, take this and grab a new drink on me.”

The young couple stared at the man, confused at his sudden change in tone and warmth. The young man eyed the ten dollar bill in the man’s hand before snatching it off as they rushed off down the street, whispering urgently to one another.

The man sighed as he watched after them, waiting until they were dim figures in the snowfall before continuing down the side street. The man pulled the glasses from his face, wincing at the strength of them.

“What are you trying to do?” Patricia whispered to herself, her accent back and her mind’s eye casting a shaming look at Dennis who was out of the light, huffing angrily to himself.  “Are you trying to draw attention to us?”

“I’m sorry Miss Patricia,” the man replied shamefully, his eyes on the ground. “I-I don’t know what came over me.”

“Take care Dennis,” Patricia replied with a gentle cluck of her tongue. “It will do us no good to be behind bars. Our friend The Beast would not take kindly to that.”

Dennis said nothing.  The Beast would most certainly _not_ take kindly to having his plans derailed. And the only suitable punishment he would choose to inflict would be to banish Dennis into eternal darkness, like he had with the rest of the traitorous personalities; Barry, Orwell, Jayde… the list went on. Kevin was deep within there somewhere, eternally sleeping.

“We must hurry home,” Patricia said to herself as she strode down the sidewalk. “A meeting is to be held.”

Patricia ducked into the narrow alley, walking a long while before coming upon the small clandestine tunnel to her left. She jogged down the twisting darkness until she came upon the door. She felt for the key underneath Dennis’ tightly done up dress shirt on a thin band of leather.

She pulled it out and slowly unlocked the steel door before stepping through and locking it again. It creaked behind her and shut with a booming thud. Then there was nothing but sweet silence and darkness. She grabbed the small flashlight from Dennis’ pocket and pressed the button.

_Home._

The abandoned railway after that horrendous accident. The crumpled waste that had been forgotten about for over twenty years. The accident that only one man had survived. They had been stripped of copper and anything else that could be salvaged. But after over twenty years no one came here. Few even knew it existed.

But The Beast knew.

Some of the cars still remained intact with windows and washrooms and this is where Patricia hoisted herself up, passing the washroom they’d re-fashioned with a camping-like shower. In the five years they had been here they had turned the rubble into a respectable home.

The first three years had been spent creating this underground home. This solace from the outside world. Laying low, keeping out of the limelight at the Beast’s suggestion.

_“When we are forgotten, our attack will be all the more powerful.”_

It was only in the recent years that their mission had continued, though as low key as possible. Each month a new sacrifice was chosen by The Beast and brought to the back boxcar by Dennis.

The boxcar held a compostable toilet, a bed and was completely soundproof. There was no way to escape and it locked with a large metal lock on the outside.

When the Beast had…finished his meal, it was Miss Patricia’s job to clean out the room, scrub the walls and floors, change the sheets and make everything look new again. It was a tiresome job, but one that she found crucial to their success.

When they had asked the Beast why they remained here in this desolate train yard almost five years later, his answer had been simple:

_“This is where I draw my power.”_

And nothing else had been said, merely understood. The Beast was very specific in what gave him power. The sacrifices, the location where they lived, etc.

Miss Patricia walked into her living space then. It was different than Hedwig’s and Dennis’. Hers was a cozy space with a large bed and sumptuous duvet. All stolen through the years of course. And her precious china set sat on the table near the door.

She had come upon that recently at a flea market and was so taken with it that she paid straight away without bartering. Bartering was, after all, quite boorish. But the delicate floral design on it reminded her of being a young girl in England and she couldn’t resist. She heated up the water on her own camping hot plate and poured herself a nice cup of chamomile as she hummed tunelessly.

She sat herself down on the edge of her bed, drawing the teacup to her lips and sipping delicately.

_Delicious. Now, onto business._

Patricia placed the cup on the floor and settled back into her bed. She closed her eyes and slowly felt herself falling backwards. It was a familiar feeling that no longer frightened her. It felt like sinking into a warm bath.

When she opened her eyes again they were all waiting for her, sitting in a circle of chairs around the beam of light. All were waiting of course, except for The Beast. The Beast very rarely made an appearance. Only stepping out to pick a victim, retreat until the sacrifice was ready and then feed.

While the Beast may have been missing in action most days, he most assuredly still lurked within the body of Kevin Wendell Crumb, his dark edges almost vibrating within the body like a tuning fork. The body that was host what was now known as The Hoarde.

In the room within Kevin’s mind, Miss Patricia took her seat, casting a warm smile over to Dennis and Hedwig. Dennis sat, arms crossed over his chest and his gaze never meeting hers. She could tell he was still cross from being berated earlier. To his left a young visage sat – his eyes alight as he looked to the different individuals around him.

“Whatta we doin here Miss Patricia?” Hedwig asked, his lisp forever pronounced. “Is it my turn yet? I wanna play my music.”

“Patience dear boy,” Patricia replied, her eyes scanning the darkness. “We are waiting for a very special guest. It was He who called the meeting.”

“You mean… The Beast?” Hedwig whispered, still awed by the creature that lived within Kevin.

Patricia nodded, glancing at her nails distractedly. They needed a good polishing. Dennis huffed gently, crossing his arms even tighter against his chest. He hated being kept waiting like this, even if it was by The Beast.

 “I’m sure he’s on his way,” Patricia offered.

“Mhmm.”  

Five years of slow progress had left him irritated and restless. The plan was supposed to be brisk and clean and over with by now. Humanity was to be already purified.

 Dragging it out this long was making him feel dirty and suffocated. This much time gave him too much time to think. To mull over if what they were doing was right. He hated being alone with his thoughts like that. He needed action.  

“You shouldn’t be mean to Miss Patricia, Dennis,” Hedwig offered with a finger waggle. “The Beast is gonna show everybody and if you’re-”

“Enough,” Dennis barked, raising a hand to his temple. He couldn’t stand when the brat started in like this. It was like an ice pick to the brain.

“Don’t get mad at me,” Hedwig whined, his lower lip pouting as he turned his attention to the severe looking woman in the seat next to him. “I want people takin’ me serious, et cetera, Miss Patricia.”

“Patience,” came the calm voice at his side. Patricia glanced down at the youngster. “The Beast knows when the time to strike is. He has a plan.  We know this. We must trust in him.”

“ _Yes_ ,” came a rasping voice from the shadows. “ _You must trust in me_.”

The entire room grew colder as the three figures suddenly straightened, their eyes narrowing on the tall and sinewy figure as he stepped towards them, illuminated by the light in front of him. His eyes were black marble and his teeth sharpened as he spoke.

“My children you have been so patient, your diligence and servitude never ceasing,” the Beast continued. “And your loyalty is soon to be rewarded. I have been given a vision. A vision that will bring to a close all our suffering.”

“A vision?” Hedwig whispered, looking at the powerful creature in front of him. “A vision of what?”

“Of how we will finally defeat the impure,” The Beast replied in that same guttural tone of his. “On how we will end this chapter. With each soul I purify I grow stronger in power and ability. And I realized that the most powerful soul still remains.”

The group looked at the man in confusion. Who was this most powerful person? How had they not heard of him? Their attention drew back to the Beast, pacing slowly in front of them like a jungle cat about to strike.  

“He lurks out there in the world,” The Beast said, pointing aggressively to the light. “The one who created me. Who created _us_. When I have consumed his heart …We will become unstoppable.”

The group stared stunned at The Beast. Part of them ruminated on the thought that perhaps there was no man. That this was a wild goose chase brought on by one of the Beasts’ fevered dreams. But in their heart of hearts, they knew what The Beast searched for existed.

And this frightened them.

 “How will we find him?”  Dennis finally uttered, clearing his throat as he spoke as it had suddenly become very dry. The Beast gave them all a sickening smile before speaking.

“He will find _us.”_

With that, the creature had slunk off into the darkness, his footsteps heavy and diminishing and leaving the trio to sit in their chairs confused and their hearts beating madly.  When they were sure that he was gone, it was Dennis who spoke first.

“It’s hard to find people,” Dennis offered with a grim look to the group. “When you have to live in the shadows. And especially when we don’t know who we’re looking for.”

There was a silence that fell over the group, their faces still in thought and frustration.

“We need someone to help us,” Hedwig finally offered, his face animated.

“Unfortunately our dear Doctor Fletcher was the only one who believed in us all,” Patricia said sadly, her eyes downcast in silent memory of the psychiatrist who had tried in vain to help them. “I’m afraid we are still at a loss.”

“We need someone that the Beast maybe talked to,” Hedwig continued, unfazed by Patricia’s melancholy. “Someone who knows us. Someone smart who the Beast won’t kill. Someone pure.”

“But no one like that exists,” Patricia replied, her featured contorted into confusion.

“No,” Dennis interjected; his eyes bright as he realized what the boy was saying. “We need the only one that the Beast ever spared.”

“You’re not s-suggesting-“ Patricia sputtered as she realized the connection. Dennis silenced her with a nod and a heavy sigh.

“The girl.”

****


	4. David Dunn

_“Old superheroes don’t just fade away. They grow old, useless — and very, very bitter!”  — **The Blue Diamond**_

 

David Dunn yawned widely, hearing his jaw crack as he did so. He’d just awoken from a nap, his hooded eyes red rimmed. He had plans with his son. They were meeting up at… where was that place again? Oh yeah, The Hideaway. Some trendy place Joseph was itching to try out.

He rose from the couch, feeling a bit stiff as he dragged himself into the bathroom. He glanced into the mirror, seeing the familiar face of almost sixty years. It was funny, he barely looked it. Part of him wondered if he aged slower than most people too.

The thought of Audrey aging faster than him set a grim look on his weathered face. The thought that his angel wouldn’t be at his side for his remaining days was something that haunted him. He had always assumed that he would go first. She ate so healthy, was so active. Meanwhile he chugged beers and ate garbage. He had just assumed she would be gracing the earth longer than he. But now… now he wasn’t so sure.

He pulled the toothbrush from its holder and squeezed the toothpaste onto it. He brushed vigorously,

“Going to be out late?” Audrey inquired as breezily as she could muster.

“Just meeting Joseph for drinks,” David replied, placing a mint flavored kiss on her lips. “One on one time, you know. I won’t be out too late.”

“Good,” Audrey replied, a mischievous look on her still beautiful face. “Because I wanted some one on one time with you myself…”

With that she gave a wink and headed back upstairs, her hair bouncing along her shoulders as she did so. David watched her in a sort of daze until she called over her shoulder.

“Don’t forget to tell him about Sunday!”

David gave her a nod before pulling on his jacket and heading out the front door into the cool, crisp Philadelphia air.

A double life was not so easy to master. Sometimes Audrey would side-eye him when he got home late from “work”, her face saying everything without ever uttering a word. He wondered if a small part of her knew that his job didn’t begin and end as a security guard. If she did, she never let on. And she never complained. Just placed a kiss at the corner of his mouth and told him to come to bed.

After Elijah’s arrest, she seemed to understand that there was something bigger at work. And David surmised a part of her didn’t really want to know what sometimes kept her husband out into the late hours of the night.

Joseph on the other hand could barely keep his excitement down whenever something new happened with an anonymous ‘hero’ saving the lives of the people of Philadelphia. David’s phone would buzz with new texts ranging from “ _PAGE ONE ON THE TELEGRAPH, IS THIS U?!_ ”  to “ _ANYTHING EXCITING?”_ Even at thirty, there was no containing his youthful exuberance every time he and his old man went out for a beer.

As if on cue, David felt the familiar buzz of his phone and pulled it out.

 

“ _IM HERE ARE U STILL COMING_?”

 

“Yeah yeah,” David smirked down at his phone. “I’m coming.”

 

***

David hated the ambiance of the bar almost immediately. Too trendy, too loud, too bright, too crowded. David hated crowds. But seeing Joseph joyously call him over to one corner erased all misgivings.

“Hey dad,” the young man said, pointing to the pint at his right. “I got you this. Knew you’d want your favorite.”

David gave a thankful smile before lowering himself into the booth that was just too squeaky to be comfortable. Joseph tapped away on his phone, his lips moving slightly as he read. A habit he’d had since he was a child, despite now being an editor for a local publishing company.

“Your mother wants you and the girls to come over for dinner Sunday,” David offered in a customary casual tone. “She’s making roast. Yorkshire. The whole nine.”

“I think we’re free,” Joseph offered, scanning his phone’s calendar. “Yep, the kids are with Steph’s parents but it’ll be nice just having the adults.”

“You know your mother is dying to see her granddaughters,” David replied, taking a large sip of his beer. “I suggest you bring them otherwise you can suffer the wrath of Audrey Dunn.”

“True,” Joseph smiled as he pulled the beer to his lips. “Maybe I should make a call…”

Even with the beard, whenever David looked at his son he saw that fresh faced ten year old looking at him over orange juice, his eye filled with tears as he realized what his father truly was.

A superhero.

“So,” Joseph continued, leaning in conspiratorially. “Any big news?”

This was Joseph’s ever clever code for; _FIGHT ANY BAD GUYS_?!

“Nothing of interest lately,” David lied, taking another sip of his drink. He was shocked that the boy’s enthusiasm never seemed to die down. If anything it grew with the following years.  David didn’t tell his son much. If anything he played off a lot of the cases he’d solved as the police.

“I happened to notice that a kidnapping case came to a close when an anonymous tip led police to a house where a man was handcuffed to the sink. The young girls he’d abducted were safely delivered to the police station. When questioned, they claimed the _Man in Black_ saved them. You wouldn’t know anything about that, right?”

“Maybe they’re big Johnny Cash fans?” David replied acerbically.

“Uh huh,” Joseph grinned, realizing that the topic was already dropped, before launching into the latest disaster at his job. David listened with interest, thankful for the normalcy that his son’s life brought him. David wished his biggest issue was a virus in his computer.

Joseph’s was interrupted by a loud and boorish man that had stepped through the doors of the bar. Already clearly drunk he hooted at his fellow drunken friends at the bar. All looked to be in their mid thirties. Far too old to be this rude.

“LET’S FUCKING PARTY!” the young man insisted loudly, causing Joseph to smirk embarrassedly at bringing his father to this bar. The man took several of his friend’s shots and downed them before continuing to talk vulgarly at a high volume. They all cheered him on, barely able to see straight.

“Jesus,” David muttered under his breath. “I thought your generation was supposed to be smarter.”

“We never said smarter,” Joseph countered, taking another sip of his beer. “Just better with computers.”

It was only minutes before the manager was out in the main area of the bar, coming over to the rowdy group and asking them to leave. The rest of the group acquiesced and headed into the cabs outside.

Yet the belligerent man remained his face red with anger and embarrassment.

“You can’t tell me to leave,” the man insisted, his voice raising. “THAT’S _RACIST_.”

David’s old security training took over and before he could help himself he was walking over to the altercation with Joseph watching in silence.

“You’ve been asked to leave by this manager,” David offered gently to the drunk man, trying to ease the chaos. “I suggest you listen.”

The manager cast a grateful look at David before nodding.

“You work here or somethin’?” the drunk man asked with a laugh.

“I don’t, but I’ve observed that it’s time for you to go.”

“And if I don’t?” countered the drunk.

“Then I’m afraid we’re going to have a problem,” David replied.

The drunk brought back his fist, intending to connect it with David’s face. David grabbed it with ease, holding it in the air and staring down at the bleary eyed man in front of him. The man pulled back and sneered up at David’s face. 

“Fuck you,” the man muttered his eyes red rimmed as he pulled back his hand and stumbled  out the front door.

Too late.

The minute David grabbed his fist, there it was – a searing image in his mind that wouldn’t stop playing.

_“Please don’t hurt me,” a woman begged, crouched in the corner of a rundown kitchen. It looked like she was used to this asshole’s behavior. Her body littered with bruises, her lips puffy from being slapped._

_“I wouldn’t have to hurt you if you did what you were TOLD,” bellowed the dark haired man. He staggered around the kitchen, looking for something in the drawers. The clatter of the noise and the woman’s shaking breath filled the room._

_“I tried to make it right,” the young woman insisted, her face streaked with mascara and her hair falling into her face. “I followed the instructions just like you said!”_

_“Enough of your excuses, slut,” the dark haired man muttered, his sneer painted across his face as he brought the garlic press from the drawer._

_“You know what happens to disobedient sluts, don’t you?”_

_The young woman’s eyes widened, her lips trembling with fear._

_“Please. Please don’t do it. Please no.”_

_The man started chuckling, a choking, wet sound that gurgled in his throat._

_“Disobedient sluts get the Horde set on them.”_

_The woman cowered further into the corner. Her body began to shake violently, tears pouring from her eyes as she tried to curl into a ball._

_“Please no,” she cried feebly._

_Without warning the man brought down the press and smashed it across the woman’s cheekbone. David could hear the crunch of her teeth as the press connected with her face. Her cheek flattened and she offered a small shocked cry before slumping to the ground unconscious._

_At this the man chuckled a bit more, took a swig of the beer on the table and threw the garlic press on the ground. For good measure he spat on the unconscious body of the woman before heading out the door._

David was pulled back into the present, his body shaking as he looked to see the man headed into a nearby cab. Without thinking David grabbed his jacket, glancing over his shoulder at Joseph.

“I’ll see you Sunday,” he called over his shoulder before heading out of the bar and out into the street. He saw the cab leaving the curb and David hopped into his truck, trailing behind him at a safe distance. He didn’t want to stir up any suspicion.

As he drove he pulled the black jacket from the back seat, his eyes still on the cab in front of him as he shrugged off his green jacket and slipped into the dark jacket. He pulled on his dark black gloves from the glove department as well. Sterilized after every use lest anyone track him via fingerprints.

David had realized early on that he needed more of a disguise than a security poncho and a hat. That was perfectly fine when he was out sousing leads. But to actually interact with these cretins? He needed some sort of disguise.

He pulled the ski mask from its confines in the glove box and slipped it over his head. He could feel the warmth of his breath inside it. The only holes were the eyes and to small slits for his nostrils. He could see why the children called him the Man in Black. A cooler pseudonym than he could have ever conjured up for himself.

There.

The cab was swerving into a dilapidated driveway. The house itself looked like a rundown Bates motel, minus the charm.

“Why do assholes like this always live in shitholes like this?” David muttered to himself under the mask. He watched the man stumble from the cab and toss a twenty at the driver before stumbling up the driveway.

David scouted the area, thankful that at this time of night it was empty. He slid out of the truck and closed the door gently. The drunk didn’t even notice him. In fact, David was at his elbow within seconds and still the man didn’t notice him. Instead his focus was on finding the key for the front door.

“You like to hurt women, eh?” David offered his voice dark with anger and slightly muffled from the mask. The drunk stumbled a bit, turning to face the tall man in black.

“Huh?”

“You like hitting them. Scaring them. Like the pathetic coward you are.”

“What the fuck?” the drunk countered, barely able to put his key in the lock. He turned his back on David, hoping the man would leave. He was tired and irritated after that asshole in the bar embarrassed him.

“Here,” David insisted, taking the key from the man and punching him squarely in the stomach before holding him up and dragging him inside.

“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?” the drunk slurred, holding his stomach and groaning as David dragged him to the kitchen. Sure enough the young woman was still there, breathing evenly. He checked her pulse. Steady. Good. He had time.

“This your work?” David inquired even though he already knew the answer. The drunk looked at him blearily before jerking forward and spitting onto his jacket. David sighed in resignation. “I thought so.”

With a sickening crack, he kneed the man hard in the ribs. Not enough to break anything, but enough to show he was serious. The man doubled over in pain, moaning and holding his side.

“What do you know about The Horde?” David said, crouching down so that he was at eye level with the piece of trash in front of him.

“I don’t know shit,” the man lied angrily.

“Let’s not do this,” David offered wearily. “I’m tired. You’re tired. Let’s just exchange information and I’ll be on my way.”

“Fuck …you… dipshit,” the man wheezed, trying to catch his breath. He felt his lip split as David’s knuckles connected with his lower jaw.

“WHAT THE FUCK DUDE.”

“The Horde,” David growled, pulling the man up by his collar, having lost all patience. “You were talking about the Horde earlier. Tell me everything you know.”

“I wasn’t saying anything.”

“I don’t have any time for games,” David said slowly, trying to convey the seriousness of the situation with his tone. “Time is everything. We don’t have it to waste.”

“I don’t have to tell you shit,” the drunk replied, throwing a kick at David’s side and growing solemn when he saw it did nothing but irritate the man. He cried out as David punched his gut once more, sending him doubled over.

“Let’s try that again,” David replied calmly. “The Horde. What do you know about them?”

The drunk cowered then, holding his hands up in supplication. David stopped advancing, choosing to wait for the man’s reply.

“I read about them from time to time,” the drunk replied. “On this website. I like reading about ‘em. I like to scare Jenna. She thinks that I can set the Horde on her, like that thing did with those girls. When that monster thing ate ‘em.”

“What website?”

“I dunno. I don’t remember.”

David advanced on him and the man dropped to his knees in fear.

“No, man I’m serious I swear to God. I don’t remember the website. Just Google Horde Villain and it’ll come up,” the man replied, groaning in pain as David stood over him.  

“So just to confirm you have no interaction with the Horde,” David spoke gravely. “Not now. Not ever.”

“Naw man,” the drunk replied, his whiskey sour breath falling on David. “I don’t even think that things alive. He hasn’t been around for years.”

“I see,” David replied, his eyes flinty. “Then there’s nothing left I have to gain from you.”

With that, the true beating began.

***

Several hours later home from the hospital where he had placed an unconscious woman and man on the steps of the emergency room with a note explaining the source of the woman’s injuries, David paced around his living room. He still couldn’t believe this. There was a website? A website talking about the Horde?

He was shit with computers. Stayed away from them mostly. But now he was realizing just how foolish it was to remain in the past when evil surely didn’t.

“Audrey I’m using your laptop,” he called out, opening it when he heard her faint approval from upstairs. He brought up google.com and began typing slowly, never having got the hang of it.

_Horde. Villain._

Several million websites popped up.

_The Horde – The man behind the mystery._

_La Horde – 2009 film._

_The Horde – teen girl, lone survivor._

 “Fuck.”

He tried again. What had that man said? That there were stories?

_Horde. Villain. Stories._

Bingo. The Horde Lives. What a title. 

David clicked on the site, the information (all speculative he noted) sparse. It was a black screen with white text. In large white letters at the top it read:

**“The Horde Lives”**

Underneath seemed like a rundown of all the possibilities of this creature’s motivations. Was he alive? The author seemed to think so.

**FAQ.**

David’s eyes drew over to the small button and he clicked it quickly. In this the author asked for individuals to send in their questions. David read the first few quickly.

_If the Horde is Real and Alive, why haven’t we heard from him/them?_

ANSWER: A valid question and my speculation is this; this creature is lulling us into calm submission. Waiting for us to forget about him, to become docile. And we’re doing it. You never hear about him on the news. The task force responsible for finding him gave up the search a long time ago. He’s all but a blip in the back of everyone’s mind. And that’s exactly his plan. He’s waiting for the opportunity to rise from the darkness as it were. A true villain in every sense of the word. He has powers you and I cannot comprehend. He has a plan we cannot comprehend. But I believe that there is a desire for cleansing. For purity.  

 

_Why is the Horde the way he is?_

ANSWER: My belief is that this creature, this man has suffered a great loss, a great trauma in his youth and this has shaped who he has become. I also believe that he was simply born with abilities. Powers. But instead of cultivating them for good, they were seen as bad, wicked, evil. This is as much of his origin story as I can surmise from case files and interviews.

_If the Horde is real and can’t be killed with bullets what chance do we have?_

ANSWER: I believe that there are two parts to this puzzle. While I cannot much at this time lest I put him in danger, you simply need to remember the following letters: D.D.

David leaned back in his chair, his eyes wide as he gazed at those two letters.

D.D.

David Dunn.

Surely there wasn’t a coincidence here. Superhero talk. Villains. Heroes. Powers. His mind went into overdrive. It wasn’t possible. No, there was no way. How would this website guy know about him?

David faltered, his mind searching the website for any helpful information. He hated that he was so useless with technology. Without thinking he texted Joseph.

_CALL ME._

Joseph called within seconds, his voice panicked on the other end of the phone.

“Dad, you okay?”

“Yeah, Joseph I’m sorry, I know it’s late but I need your help.”

“Help? Like…with a case?”

David could practically hear the swell of pride from Joseph on the other end. David had never brought his son into this world of his. He liked to keep his life separate. But time was of the essence. He had this feeling in his gut. These feelings were rarely incorrect.

“Joseph, I’m sending you a link. I need you to figure out who runs this website.”

“Sure dad, one sec.”

David texted his son the link and waited, listening to the tap of the keys on the other end of the phone.

“Holy shit,” Joseph whispered, almost dropping the phone.

“What? What is it?” David whispered urgently, not wanting to rouse Audrey.  “Did you find out who runs the website?”

“Yeah.”

Joseph let the word hang there for a moment before David pressed him in frustration.

“And?”

There was a soft swallow on the other end of the line before Joseph spoke next.

“Dad, its Elijah Price.”

 

 


	5. The plan is hatched

_"I'm the best at what I do,and what I do isn't very nice" – Wolverine_

 

 

Casey pulled her notes from her bag, glancing over them critically. She wished she had taken better notes in the last lecture. Her finals were coming up for the fall semester and she was terrified she was going to do poorly. She had never been a model student as a teen and even now she had trouble focusing.

“I have to get serious about studying,” she whispered to herself. “Less Greg time.”

While Greg was an amazing catch, he did demand a lot of her attention and time. And she had always been happy to freely give it. But lately, as the nightmares increased she found herself depending on him.

 _Depending_ on someone else.

That was a situation she didn’t feel comfortable with. Her mind drifted to her youth. A hunting trip where Uncle John couldn’t make it. It had been one of her favorite trips because it had been just her and her dad. One of the last ones she could remember. The last time she had been truly happy as a child.

_“You need extreme focus,” her dad said from their blind. “It’s easy to lose that when you’re on your own. But on your own is when you’ll do your best thinking.”_

_“Why will I be alone?”_

_“You’re not always gonna have me Casey,” her father reminded her quietly as she nestled beside him on the ground, their bellies flat and the guns raised. “You’re gonna have to learn how to hunt alone.”_

_“But I don’t wanna hunt alone,” a young Casey replied, her lips turning into a pout._

_“But hunting alone makes you a strong hunter. You’ll depend on only yourself. There’s a strength in that Casey.”_

_“I don’t care,” Casey had stubbornly replied. “I don’t wanna hunt alone. Ever.”_

_“I know, sunshine. But sometimes I’m gonna be busy. One day I may be too old or too sick. So you gotta know how to do this alone. One day you’ll teach your kids.”_

_Casey thought about this, her brows furrowed in concentration before she looked back up at him._

_“Daddy, just don’t get sick and don’t get old for a long time.”_

_“Okay,” her father replied with a small grin. “I won’t.”_

Casey felt a tear slip down her cheek and she brushed it away quickly. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Greg was calling. She dragged the icon to the red phone icon before opening a text.

_Busy tonight studying. You are too distracting. ;) talk tomorrow?_

She waited a moment before the familiar ding sounded with his reply.

_Sounds good. Don’t have too much fun without me. xoxo_

Casey smiled, about to respond when she heard her name being called. Maria from her Art and Adult Development class. The girl’s frizzy blonde curls framed her face that was currently pink as she rushed over to her friend.

Her book bag slapped against a thick thigh as she rushed over, losing her breath. Maria was one of those people that were constantly out of breath, getting excited and always panicking that she was going to fail a class when she usually was top of it. Still, Casey enjoyed her bubbly personality because there was a slight edge to it.

“Hey Casey,” Maria called breathlessly. “Is there any way we can study together tomorrow night? I am so stressed out about this exam Friday. If I don’t pass I think I’m gonna slash Professor Barkley’s tires.”

Casey smiled terseley, nodding and the two girls made plans to meet up the next evening in the library, unaware of the car holding a man staring intently at her.

His hair was combed into a respectable style, his glasses perched on his nose and his beard gone leaving him looking like a young professor or older student. They weren’t looking for him here in Michigan. It had taken over twelve hours of straight driving, but they’d managed it.

But instead of the trademark scowl on this man’s face, there was a childish look of glee. He removed the glasses, his fingers causing smudged on the glass.

“It’s her!” Hedwig squealed with delight at the sight of Casey walking the grounds of her university. Memories of her watching his dancing, listening to his stories filtered through his mind. Then his smile faltered as he recalled the walkie-talkie. How she wanted to get him in trouble.

Miss Patricia took the light, her eyes scanning the crowd for the familiar brunette. When she spotted her she saw the familiar curtain of hair, the neutral clothing palate. Everything done to make her blend in the crowd.  

Patricia recalled then, the silky strands of the girl’s hair in her hand, even now. The perfect porcelain of her skin. The scent that only the young possess that clouded around her, and surely did even now. Miss Patricia sighed a sigh of a woman past her youth. Desperately clinging to something to remind her of her femininity and youth. When she looked into the mirror she saw an old hag. Beaten down by the world.

“Would you like a look Dennis?” Miss Patricia offered kindly. Considering Dennis had to do all the heavy lifting, it seemed only fair that she treat him with respect.

“Nah,” Dennis replied from the shadows. “The girl’s the girl. Nothing’s changed. Only now it’ll be near impossible to get at her.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The girl is wily,” Dennis replied from the inky blackness, his voice calculated. “She’s like a deer in the wild. She looks calm and serene but her mind is always calculating. She’s never truly comfortable. Always just waiting… waiting to run.”

“There’s something about her though,” Miss Patricia mused, watching the girl smile along with her friend. “Something different from the other girls. She’s quite an unearthly creature, isn’t she?”

Dennis shrugged, not really interested in what made Casey so unique. He knew what Miss Patricia meant though. He recalled it in the car when they first ‘met’. The girl’s in the back squealed as they were sprayed. Casey could have been next for all she knew. Yet she remained still and silent.

She sat there, looking at him, her hand on the door handle. He barely considered her a threat. He didn’t know why, but he had this feeling that she was waiting. Her body wanting to leave but her mind unsure of what to do next. She was prey, but she wanted to size up her predator first.

He had considered dropping her off somewhere. After all, the plan had been for the two girls. The impure. The filthy ones that forced Barry’s hand under their blouses. The sluts. This stoic brunette creature wasn’t even in his plans and he idly wondered how he could drop her without causing a scene.

But then of course the foolish girl had opened the door a crack, the alarm sounding and causing Dennis to abruptly change course. She was a threat after all. He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen that in the first place. 

“I guess I’ll need to see what she looks like now,” Dennis finally offered with a scowl, taking Miss Patricia’s seat in the light and glancing out into the world through Kevin’s light blue eyes.

His hands curled around the steering wheel distractedly. The last thing Dennis remembered of the girl was her pale, terrified face within the dark room on the night of the sacrifice. Her hair hanging like dark rivers over her shoulders. The white shirt she’d worn protectively .He had been momentarily distracted, thinking of what was under that shirt. But he had been focused that night. It had been a big night. The Beast…. The Beast was coming forth.

He would never admit it aloud, but he had been unsettled around the girl. Unlike the other two chattering idiots she seemed almost otherworldly. She didn’t react like a normal girl did. She didn’t scream when things frightened her, she didn’t flail like an idiot. She just fixed him with a level gaze as he spoke.  He had hoped that by disrobing her it would remove some of this inner power she held, like a secret. But every layer removed just uncovered a new layer.

And now seeing her there on the campus, he still saw something of a kindred spirit in her.  She could walk around campus and go by another name. But he knew. He knew underneath it all was a young woman who would never be truly comfortable. It was an act- A survival technique.

He could respect that.

Even from where he sat eh could see her dark eyes; still haunted. Her tight lipped smile was still tentative. The way she gripped her books in front of her protectively. To anyone passing she would seem shy, perhaps even bookish. But Dennis knew the body language of fear. He was well- versed in it. He realized the girl would forever remind him of a deer – placid in their movements, but the minute a twig snapped – their bodies were prepared, taut with inner energy.

This thought caused his mind to wander, breaking him from his reverie and back from the light. Suddenly they were all in a circle in chairs once more around the light.

“Do you really think she’ll be able to help us?” Miss Patricia offered gently, her face worried. 

 “I do,” Dennis nodded, his voice low. “I think she’s part of this puzzle. Just a feeling I have. But we'll need to think out each move. She needs to think that she's helping us.”

Miss Patricia nodded before turning her attention to the light and watched the girl walk towards what she assumed was her dorm room. She took note of the direction and the time before returning to her comrades.

“We need to follow her patterns so we can grab her without being seen.”

Dennis sat beside Hedwig, his lips taut in concentration as he mused on the girl he’d just seen. Strange that the Beast had released her from his grasp. Here she was, looking well rested. What made her different from the rest?  Dennis remembered the shock he felt when he read the papers the following weeks.

 _Teen girl survives Beastly interaction with The Horde_.

He’d known in an instant that it was the Casey girl. She was the only corpse not to be found in their hovel of a former home under the zoo. Due to her age and the severity of what had happened, they couldn’t release her name or photo. But he knew.

To be fair he hadn’t remembered her name. It had been Hedwig, the lisping sycophantic child that cried out “ _Miss Patricia, this newspaper is talking about Casey!_ ”

He’d scanned the article. They hadn’t gotten much out of the girl aside from the fact that she was scared and that she was worried for the rest of the world. The article went on to speculate on several rumors but the girl didn’t want to say anything further. A wise decision. She was a scared young woman then. Teetering on the edge of self destruction. That much he recognized in her. 

But now, five years later, she was still alive and Dennis couldn’t understand why. While she remained a slight and unimposing figure, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Casey Cooke than met the eye. This thought caused a strange reaction in his abdomen and he pushed off the chair, relinquishing control to Patricia.

“I wish I coulda kissed the other one,” Hedwig muttered idly to himself. “The pretty one. Casey’s not nice at all. She tricked me and she stole my walkie talkie. She probably won’t even help us. Et cetera.”

Miss Patricia glanced to her left of the chair where Hedwig sat patiently.

“Am I to surmise that you kissed Miss Cooke then, Hedwig?”

Hedwig blushed a deep scarlet then, not saying a word. 

“Well then,” Miss Patricia looked to the beam of light in between them all. “It’s best we get to work then.”

Miss Patricia’s lips quirked into a wry smile before she allowed herself to regain control of the body, her eyes following the figure of Casey Cooke as she disappeared into the crowd of students.


	6. Old Adversaries

_"If I weren't crazy, I'd be insane!" - The Joker_

 

David pulled his truck up to the gate of the hospital, the large barbed wire fences menacing, and the open grounds completely desolate. It had taken five hours to get to Bridgewater State Hospital, but it had been worth it. He’d had five hours to formulate what he’d say to Elijah when he saw him.

 A man in a uniform came over, his face impassive as he glanced over David and his truck. He spat into the snow at the side of the him and glanced back at David.

“Name?”

“Dunn,” David replied, showing his identification. “I called yesterday.”

The man took the clipboard out from underneath his arm, scanning the list until he placed a small check next to a name. David had to pull a few strings with his friends at the PD, but they’d managed a face-to-face for him.

“Alright,” the man said, passing him a green card. “Follow those signs to the entrance. You’re gonna meet up with a Doctor Cloris and she’ll take you to the patient you’re here to see. Put this on your dashboard or you’re gonna get towed.”

David parked his car at the entrance, stepping out into the chill of the day and up the steps of the Institution for the Criminally Insane. He’d never actually been here, but after Elijah’s imprisonment he’d read up on it. It seemed like a pretty cushy place to go if you’d murdered hundreds of people, but that seemed to be an ongoing trend with prisons if you had enough money.

Doctor Cloris, a stout Asian woman with red glasses greeted him at the door and led him to the nearest elevator.

“Mr. Price is quite sedated,” she said brusquely, making a note of something in her notebook. “He may not be very coherent when you speak to him. Please keep this in mind with your interaction. You have fifteen minutes of visitation and please do not upset him.”

“Why was he sedated?” David asked as the elevator pinged for the tenth floor, his hands in his pockets.

“He had an altercation with one of the nurses,” Cloris replied sharply. Obviously she wasn’t going to share anymore. “He’s in a great deal of pain.”  

David winced slightly at the thought of Elijah doing anything remotely physical. He remembered just how feeble Elijah had been in their last meeting. Just a sad, weak man, completely powerless against his own body.

They rounded the corner, the place stinking of stale piss and the screams of nearby rooms almost deafening. Doctor Cloris continued walking, unfazed by the chaos.

“Here we go,” the doctor indicated to a room flanked by two guards. She nodded at them as she and David entered.

It was a large, white room. Padded on all sides. A table in the middle separated by glass and a small communication box sat in the middle. On the other side of the glass, shackled by his wrists and sitting in a wheelchair was Elijah Price in an orange jumpsuit.

A full  grey beard grew on his face, his large afro streaked with grey as well. It served as a stark reminder of how long Elijah had been locked up. A visual remembrance of the last time they had seen one another. Almost twenty years. Not counting their times passing one another in court.

“David,” Elijah said slowly as the man stepped into view, his mouth moving lazily as if he were tasting the name. “It’s been a long time.”

Doctor Cloris motioned for David to step forward. David came to the white chair before the table, his eyes never leaving Elijah’s. The Doctor made sure that he was comfortable and that they could hear one another through the amplifier before moving to the only door in the room.

“You have fifteen minutes,” the woman reminded him before closing the door behind her.

There was a moment of silence as the two adversaries eyed one another from opposite sides of the glass. Elijah’s face broke into an easy smile.

“It’s nice to see you, David.”  

“This isn’t a social call,” David replied evenly, looking across the table at the shackled man.  “You know why I’m here.”

David expected the man’s response to be slow and sluggish. But instead Elijah came to life, away from the scrutiny of the guards and doctors. He sat up a little straighter, wincing as he did so.

“I do,” Elijah nodded. “I’m just surprised it took you this long. Or perhaps it was quickly. Time moves rather slowly here.”

“So you did make the website,” David observed in a blasé tone. He shook his head at the lack of security in this place. But then again was he really surprised in a hospital full of lunatics?  

“Of course I did,” Elijah replied. “We’re allowed computer time here. Supervised of course. But if you have the means you can always have a guard turn the other cheek. It didn’t take long to make the website. I felt it was my duty.”

“Your duty?”

“To warn them,” Elijah insisted. “To remind the world that the Horde still exists. Even though he has been long dormant. At least, he has been to the untrained eye.”

“And why would you do that?” David inquired with a sardonic look on his face. “Why would _Mr. Glass_ the _villain_ want to help anyone but himself?  

Elijah winced at the nickname, having heard it on every major news outlet, mocking him, dragging his real name through the mud. His poor mother had gone to the grave, disgraced by her son and his actions.

“Believe it or not, I’ve changed,” Elijah insisted, his eyes stinging with tears. “I don’t want to be your enemy, David. I want to help you. I want to be your sidekick.”

“And why is that?”

Elijah adopted a very serious look as he spoke next.

“Because without you, humanity is doomed.”

David sighed, realizing that coming here had been a huge mistake. He was about to stand when Elijah spoke, his tone severe.

 “You’ve noticed the missing girls, haven’t you? You know that’s his work and that’s why you’re trying to find him. To end the killing.”

David stilled, looking back to the man. He berated internally whether or not to continue. Then deciding there was no point in holding anything back he continued.

 “Why did you put my initials in there, Elijah? In that article?”

“Because I needed you to realize your part in this,” Elijah replied. “You and the girl.”

David’s face was confused, his brows knitting together.

“What girl?”

“The one the monster spared,” Elijah replied. “She doesn’t see how she plays into this, but she is the most integral part. Without it, neither of you will find peace.”

David rubbed his temples in irritation, slamming a fist down onto the table and startling Elijah.

“I don’t have time for your cryptic bullshit,” David said, his eyes scanning the man’s aged face. “Real lives are at stake. And yeah, I’m sure you don’t give a shit, but I do. Innocent girls are getting killed. This Beast or Horde or whatever you want to call him. He needs to be defeated.”

“Defeated,” Elijah smiled at the term. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

A few minutes of silence passed between them and eventually David’s eyes drew to the wheelchair that Elijah was placed in.

“Why’d you do that to yourself?”

“I was trying to escape,” Elijah replied embarrassed. “Didn’t go as planned.”

“Clearly. So what’s with the girl, Elijah? Why is she so important?”

“Her name is Casey Cooke,” Elijah replied. “And she’s a student under the name Casey Brookes at Hudson University.”

“How do you know this?”

“I have connections on the outside,” Elijah replied like a comic book mob boss.

David momentarily marveled at how he got this information. He made note of the name, realizing that their time was nearly up. Elijah too sensed that their visit was coming to an end.

“I’ve helped you and now you need to help me, David.”

“Oh yeah?”

“You have to get me out of here.” Elijah replied in a rush, his eyes intense and clear, without a trace of sedation. “He will be coming for me. And once he has me he will come for you. And once he has you, David… it’s over.”

David wished that he could scoff this off as one of Elijah’s dramatics, but the thing was the guy was astute. He had discovered David’s true talents and deep in his gut, David knew he was right. This was what David had been born to do.

“You know that’s impossible,” David replied, standing and pulling on his jacket.

“I can help you,” Elijah insisted, his wrists pulling against the cuffs animatedly. David heard the faint sound of snapping and the man moaned lowly.

“You can’t even help yourself,” David observed. “And if you’re not going to help me further, then I’m leaving.”

“I only know what I know,” Elijah replied, wincing as his wrist throbbed. “And I know that the girl has a part in it. Just as I knew I had to find you and just as I know this Horde is still out there waiting for their moment to strike. It’s my part of the puzzle, David. I know the players but I don’t necessarily know the rules.”

David nodded, wanting to say more when there was a sharp rap at the door and a guard stepped in, information David that his visit was up. David nodded; moving from the table and away from Elijah’s muted cries for help. But already David was focused, his mind sharply keen on the next step.  David knew what he had to do.

He had to find Casey Cooke.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW I've written a lot in the last twenty four hours. And I STILL HAVE SO MUCH I WANT TO WRITE THIS WEEKEND. I will do my best! I hope that you'll leave some comments to continue to inspire me - all comments will be replied to! Thank you for all your support so far!


	7. Deja Vu

 

_“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, beware my power — Green Lantern’s light!”  — **Green Lantern**_

 

Casey took a swig from her water bottle and rubbed her eyes roughly. She didn’t know how long she’d been here at the library, but it felt like hours. Maria had left some time ago after their communal study session. But her friend’s anxiety only drove Casey to study harder. If Maria, the best student in the class was worried, Casey herself should be even _more_ concerned.

It had taken a lot of dedication and focus for Casey to remain even a mediocre student here at university. She blamed it on the fact that all through school she had been living a nightmare at home.

She recalled when Mr. Carmichael, her Math teacher, had leaned over her shoulder to see how she was solving her problem and she had flipped out on him. Elbowed him in the stomach, her heart thudding hard in her chest as she ran out of the classroom. She couldn’t explain to him that when he invaded her space like that without permission that it was reminiscent of that that looming, suffocated feeling that her uncle gave her at home. How could she explain that?

So now she felt she was forever playing catch up. Catch up on life, on school, on having a social life.  

Casey suddenly stilled. Her nose catching a fairly familiar scent. A musky, masculine smell that she couldn’t quite place. Like an animal being stalked at a river’s edge, her eyes darted from side to side of the library.

It was nearly empty, she was the only one down in the basement stacks. That’s where it was the quietest and she could focus the best. But something told her she was being watched.

_This is in your head. The Beast would not travel for you. He let you go. You are no longer being hunted. You are safe. You are safe. You. Are. SAFE._

These words went around her head over and over and over until she felt her pulse slowing.

“I am safe,” she whispered to herself, her fingers trembling as she turned the page in her textbook. She looked then at the clock and saw she had ten minutes before the library was going to close its doors and chase her out.  

She gave a heavy sigh, preparing to stand and gather her belongings. She was just about to close her textbook when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. She whipped around, seeing an older man walking her way. He wore a red flannel, jeans and a baseball cap which he removed showing his bald scalp.

“Hey there,” the bald man said with a shy smile as he approached. He pointed to a chair next to her at the study table. “Do you mind if I take a seat here?”

Casey said nothing, watching warily as the man lowered himself beside her, causing the chair to squeak. The man rubbed his eyes tiredly, placing the cap on the table and sighing softly.

“Sorry, I’ve just been driving for hours, feeling kind of beat.”

Casey remained silent, studiously ignoring him now and going back to her notes. If she ignored him, surely he would leave. And besides, he would have been spotted by the librarian.

“Is your name Casey Cooke by any chance?”

Casey felt her back bristle with imaginary spikes as he spoke, a scowl crossing her normally placid features. This was what she’d been running from the past five years. No one knew she was Casey Cooke. She went by Brookes here.

Nosy reporters who wanted nothing more than to plaster her face and name all over the world. To point her out as the girl that escaped The Horde. To ask her questions impossible to answer. She didn’t want to give that monster any more attention than he already had. The last thing he needed was a platform for his insanity.

“Look, I don’t know how you found me here but I don’t want to talk about it,” Casey hissed. “Your newspapers have nothing to go on and I’m not about to-“

“No no no,” David interjected, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “That’s not where I’m going with this.”

Casey glanced at him warily, confused at the man’s casual appearance. He drew closer to her, still keeping a wide berth between them. He leaned forward conspiratorially, his light eyes kind.

“We wanted to talk with you. About… _him_.”

 “I knew it,” Casey replied, her fury plain as she gathered up her notes aggressively.  “I don’t have time for this. I have to study. Get lost before I call campus security.”

The man quirked a smile before nodding and coming to sit across from her.

“Did you not hear me?” Casey whispered harshly.

“My name is David Dunn,” the man said slowly. “I’m here because you are the only link between The Beast and everyone else. No one else has spoken to him. No one else understands his motivations. And I’m not here talking to you so I can report on it. I’m here because I’m the one that’s going to defeat him.”

Casey looked into the earnest face of David Dunn and all at once felt her eyes grow wet with tears. There was a sincerity about him. A fatherly aura that reminded her of her own father.  He glanced surreptitiously around them before speaking in a low tone.

“I’m the man in black.”

Casey’s eyes widened at this, her mouth slightly agape.

She shouldn’t have believed him. This beleaguered man standing in front of her, looking more like an over the hill security guard than a superhero. But as he said it, a thrumming sensation went over Casey that put her at ease.

_He’s telling the truth._

For years living back at home she had read about The Man in Black. How he had been silently apprehending the worst of humanity. Her uncle called him a menace said he was stopping the police from doing their jobs. Only her uncle could think a man like that was a nuisance. Likely a guilty conscience.

“I feel like you want to tell me,” David observed, seeing the girl’s eyes begin to soften. “Am I right?”

In that moment Casey felt everything tumble from her lips.

“He can’t be stopped,” she whispered breathlessly. “He’s not even _human_. I shot him point blank and he just got up and kept walking.”

David leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowing. For a moment Casey observed just how normal he looked. Like any of her fellow students’ dad. How was this guy supposed to defeat something like The Horde, as the media had dubbed him?

 “The news, they said he was just some guy who worked at the zoo,” David replied. “A guy who went nuts and murdered those girls.”

“He’s not,” Casey insisted with a sharp shake of her head. “He’s so much more. He’s got so many people living in his head. They all take turns being in control of the body. They call it ‘controlling the light.’ One is a kid, one is a guy and a woman who control things. And one…the worst one is The Beast. He’s the one that can’t be stopped.”

She would never forget the mixture of fear and awe she felt when she saw the man she’d known as Hedwig and Miss Patricia and Dennis suddenly shirtless and scaling the wall like a gecko. The guttural growl he made in the back of his throat as he climbed. When he had stepped closer to her, he had even smelled differently. Like dirt and sunshine. Like a wild animal.

“But, when he’s not this Beast, he’s a normal man,” David surmised quickly, looking to her face for confirmation. Casey though back to Marcia slamming the chair into Patricia’s back and seeing the woman double over in pain.

“Yes,” Casey nodded. “But you never know who’s going to have the Light. You could start off with the kid and end up with the Monster before you have time to blink. That’s why it’s _impossible_.”

David sighed heavily, his eyes shutting momentarily as he ran a hand over his shaved head. It was strangely reminiscent of the action Dennis used to take when frustrated. Casey hated that she remembered that. David’s eyes opened slowly, scanning her face.

“What do you think he’s waiting for?”

“I don’t know,”Casey admitted darkly. “When I was locked down there. Miss Patricia – she said that we were only the beginning. That there would be more. She insinuated it would be the world. But she has to start somewhere and I feel like that somewhere is Philidelphia.”

“Why there?”

“I don’t know,” Casey said, feeling stupid. “Just a feeling I get. My dad always told me to listen to my gut.”

“Wise man,” David nodded, causing Casey to flush internally with pride.  “Why did he let you go? He killed those other girls no problem… But you, he let survive. Why?”

Casey looked down at her hands, suddenly ashamed.

“He said I was pure,” she said barely above a whisper. “Because… because I have scars…Because of what was…done to me…”

She pointed to her stomach which was under several layers of clothing. David felt himself cringe internally thinking of all this poor girl had to go through. He wanted to grasp her hand, to cup her face like a father would and hold her and tell her that he would fix things. But he knew an action like that would cause her to retreat further, so he swallowed the feeling.

“There have been a string of murders of young girls since your escape,” David continued, his eyes weary at the pain. “I think there’s a connection in them. It’s why I’ve been trying to hunt this monster down.”

Casey felt her breath leave her. Knowing that the monster was out there still killing and doing it cloaked in shadows made her even more anxious.

“Is there anything else you can tell me Casey?” David’ kind eyes searched her face. “I know it’s asking so much of you to have you relive this. I’m _so_ sorry.”

“Kevin Wendell Crumb,” Casey whispered, a stray tear falling down her cheek. “That’s his real name. But he won’t respond to it. Not anymore.”

“Why didn’t you tell the police any of this?”

“I was scared,” Casey admitted, her face flushing with embarrassment. “I was so focused on getting out of my own horrible situation at home and I-I was so convinced if I told the police it would get back to them through the papers… The Horde. That they would come for me to shut me up.”

The tears feel freely now as she glanced up from her hands, her gaze on David.

“I’m so scared that they’re going to come back for me.”

The tears fell freely down her pale cheeks now and she buried her face in her hands. David felt his heart break for her as her shoulders shook.

“Casey,” he whispered, leaning forward on his seat, “I know you don’t know me. You have no reason to trust me. But I am going to defeat this monster.”

He couldn’t help himself, he put a fatherly hand on the girl’s shoulder and looked to her, thankful she didn’t pull away. But before he could stop, the visions were there – her uncle coming to her room late at night. Casey alone in the bathtub dragging the razor blade over her stomach, her legs. The scars that covered her body like a strange map of pain. Then the images stopped and David swallowed thickly at all she’d been through.

“I’m here to do what’s right,” David insisted, giving the girl’s shoulder a light squeeze. “My job is to save people.”

Casey wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand,her eyes coming to rest on David’s face.

“That’s just the thing. He thinks that he’s doing the exact same thing.”

The lights began to flicker suddenly, indicating that the library was closing. David was shifting uncomfortably in his seat, unsure of how to broach what he had to say next.

“I have reason to suspect that you will be targeted,” David admitted to her, knowing she was smart enough to know if he were keeping something from her.

“But why?” Casey insisted, her eyes growing wet. “He let me go. I made sure I didn’t tell anyone anything. He has no reason to find me.”

“Because he’s going to realize that you’re integral to this,” David replied quietly but firmly. “Your part in this isn’t over.”

“But I’m nobody,” Casey insisted, her heart fluttering. “I can’t help him, I can’t help you. Why am I even part of this?”

“Casey, do you trust me?”

It was a strange question to ask after they’d known each other less than fifteen minutes, but Casey could sense his earnestness. Just like she was able to suss out when danger was present, she could also sense it when there was none.

“Yes,” was her firm reply.

“Then follow my instructions to the letter. I need you to get into your car,” David insisted, his eyes steely then. “Drive somewhere else. Somewhere not many people know about. Is there someone you can stay with? An Aunt? Grandfather? You need to get away from here. Don’t slow down for anyone.”

“I don’t have anywhere to stay,” Casey admitted, her eyes downcast. “There’s no one left.”

David saw the sorrow on the girl’s face and knew better than to ask questions. He ripped a page from the girl’s notepad and wrote hurriedly on it before folding it and handing it back to her.

“You’re going to go to this address. You’re going to ask for a Joseph Dunn. Tell him that David sent you and that its part of an ongoing investigation. He’ll keep you safe. Make sure you stay in the house. Do you understand everything I’ve told you?”

“Yes.”

David gave her a short nod which she returned before gathering her books.

“Go now.”

Casey glanced over her shoulder once more at the man grabbing his baseball cap and walking to the other exit. How seamlessly he blended into background of the library. How he didn’t seem like a superhero at all.

She pushed the door of the library open and rushed out, trying to remain calm to anyone who may be watching. She didn’t need her friends asking her why she was running all over campus.  

A thought occurred to her as she walked and she pulled her cell phone from her pocket, typing quickly to Greg.

_I’m going to visit family for a bit. Don’t worry, everything is ok. Will be back in a week or so and explain then. Will be out of cell service. Xo Casey._

She didn’t know that it would be a week. It could be a month for all she knew, but she didn’t need Greg plaguing her with relentless messages asking questions. Right now she had to focus on getting to this Joseph’s house.

The chill in the air was biting and Casey could feel her fingertips already freezing as she moved to her car in the near empty parking lot. She rarely left campus and so she had to scrape the window with her notebook, feeling a sense of urgency to leave. Joseph’s address remained in her free hand, she gripped it tightly as if it were a token of safety.

She paused when she thought she heard the crunch of feet in the snow. She turned, seeing a few students far off in the campus. They didn’t even glance over at her; just rushed into their dorms laughing at the downpour of snow.

She glanced at them longingly a moment before shaking her notebook free of the snow and climbing into the old Nissan. She stuck the key into the ignition, noticing it was completely empty now as the snow pelted down around her. It was all at once calming in its silence and frightening as the silence felt almost claustrophobic.

And as she thought this, she heard a soft huff of breath coming from the back seat. The warm breathing of another figure.  In this moment Casey knew she wasn’t alone.

 _Don’t panic._ She told herself, putting her key into the ignition shakily. It took all she had in her power not to dash out of the car. But she would be too slow. She had another plan, she just had to keep going on like normal.

_You need to keep calm. Just drive. Drive to the nearest gas station. Pretend you’re getting gas and then call the police. You’ll be-_

Before she could turn the ignition fully, a strong arm wrapped itself around Casey’s throat, choking her slightly. Another hand pressed roughly against her mouth as she was dragged into the back seat of the car.  

_No. This isn’t happening._

“I know you’re not stupid,” came a dark, low voice from behind her. The strength of the man’s arm around her neck startled her into choked silence. A familiar scent of cologne wafted over her.  She could feel the firmness of his body as he pulled her back against him.

She thought of the prey she’d felled with her father. The glassy look of surrender they all seemed to have when they knew they’d been beaten. This was the look Casey wore when she realized who the voice belonged to.

_Him._

She could feel the sobs starting in her chest and she did everything she could to keep them at bay. Behind her, Dennis was loosening his grip on her arms and slowly turning her to face him.

When she saw the familiar face of Dennis, his brow furrowed and his hair brushed back from his face she couldn’t help but let a small moan of terror escape her.

“No,” she moaned lowly in her chest. “Not again.”

Irritated, Dennis shoved her against the back door of the car. The cold of the window bit into her cheek angrily and she winced. His palm pressed against her lips roughly, his eyes searching her face with a look of fatigue. His face was so closer to her own she could see the dark ring around his iris.

“I know that _you_ know what we are capable of,” Dennis rasped, his hand firmly against the girl’s mouth. He watched her dark eyes filled with angry tears, her lips tightening around his palm.

_Help me David. See what’s going on. Stop him. Please._

She silently willed this. But knew David was nowhere around.

 Any other girl would fight. Would scream and kick and try to escape. Not her. She knew it was fruitless. He knew she was conserving her energy.

“And I know what _you’re_ capable of,” Dennis continued. “I don’t know how you escaped the Beast, but you did; which means you’re smart. It means you’re a survivor. And I know what people do to survive. They become desperate. They’ll do anything.”

_He doesn’t know how I escaped? He thinks I ran away? Didn’t the Beast tell him?_

She realized that there was so much she still didn’t understand about them. That when she spoke to one, the others didn’t always hear. When she was with one entity, the others were gone. But why had the Beast kept this from them?

“But listen to me and listen well,” Dennis continued, his nose almost touching hers as he growled. “If you make a _sound_ , if you alert _anyone_ to our presence, if you try to escape, then the only living person you care about will be _wiped_ from this earth. He will be torn from limb to limb. You will bathe in his blood and know you were the reason for it.”

Casey grew even more still, her eyes wide with true fear as Dennis spoke, his mint laced breath falling in waves over her face as he spoke.

“That’s right. _Greg_ ,” Dennis hissed. “Nothing can stand in the way of our reckoning. Now I’m gonna take my hand off of your mouth and you’re gonna be _silent_. Got it?”

Casey swallowed and nodded quickly, her eyes never leaving his face. He looked so similar though five years had passed. The hair was longer, but the reddened lips, the serious scowl, and the remarkable blue of his eyes… it was all the same.  

“How do you know about Greg?” she whispered, her lips trembling slightly.

“We’ve been following you for days,” Dennis replied, out of habit wiping his hand with the wet wipes he carried in his pocket. “We know your classes, your friends, Greg. When you were at class we broke into your laptop. It wasn’t hard to figure this stuff out.”

Casey thought about earlier in the library, when she felt she had been watched. Were they there then? When she slept last night were they there? She felt her body break out into a cold sweat. She saw Dennis remove the mask from his inside jacket pocket.

“Are you here to kill me?” Casey whispered, her eyes wet. The thought that she had escaped the Beast only to be brought back into his vicious claws was causing her to grow dizzy.

“You have a much bigger purpose,” Dennis explained. “But we don’t have time for that now. Close your eyes.”

Before Casey could do anything more, Dennis had pulled the mask over his face and the spray bottle from his jacket. With a small groan Casey inhaled the sickly scent of the chloroform spray from so many years ago before everything went black.

 


	8. Hedwig

 

_“Are you gonna sleep all day?”_

Casey barely registered what was being said. All she knew was that her head hurt and she was laying on something soft. When her eyes fluttered open slowly and the blurred vision of Hedwig came into view, she felt the reality of what had happened come crashing down all around her.

She wasn’t waking from a nightmare in her dorm. She was trapped, who knew where, in a dungeon guarded by a deranged man dressed in a windbreaker, jeans and sneakers. And she was lying atop a bed of grey blankets and white pillows.

She sat straight up, her eyes scanning the room and taking in her surroundings. It was a clean, plain room. A bathroom with a shower to her right, and the door to the left. It was smaller than the last time. Just a bed in the room with sheets and a pillow. She silently wailed. _The last time_. It was supposed to be the ONLY time.

Casey looked at the man, or really, _boy._ His eyes were clear and open. He had no idea what brutality went on, surely. Casey felt herself calming slightly. At least Hedwig was her introduction to this hellhole, not Patricia or worse… The Beast.

“Why am I here Hedwig?”

“You was mean to me last time,” Hedwig offered out of nowhere, leaning his back on the large white door that kept her trapped inside. “You took my walkie-talkie after I showed you my dancing and everything. Miss Patricia was real mad at me, et cetera.”

Casey wanted to shake his shoulders, scream in his face that it was nothing compared to what she’d been through. But she kept herself calm, slipping over the sheets to sit on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry I hurt your feelings Hedwig,” Casey replied evenly. “I was scared. It wasn’t nice of me.”

“No,” Hedwig nodded churlishly, crossing his arms over his chest. “It wasn’t.”

Casey breathed slowly, trying not to sob at the situation she was in. She had to gain Hedwig’s trust back. He was the only one who she could hope to use her subterfuge on. The adults would see right through it.

“Well, what can we do to fix that?” Casey offered diplomatically.

Hedwig gave her a mischievous smile that seemed almost gruesome on the man’s forty-something face. It was strange to see how his features, his mannerisms, even his inflections changed with each individual that was _in the light_.

“I wanna watch a movie,” Hedwig replied. “But I don’t got anything to watch it on. I asked for a phone but Miss Patricia says I’m not old enough, ‘cept I’m nine. That’s old enough for a phone. Lots of kids younger than me got phones!”

“Well I have a phone,” Casey replied, her hand slowly reaching in her pocket. She felt a wave of disappointment wash over her as she searched her now empty pockets. Of course.

“Mister Dennis took your phone,” Hedwig replied as he saw her crestfallen face. “After he put you in bed. He told me he took your phone because  we have to be safe. He also said I can’t be in here talking to you but I snuck in when him and Miss Patricia were talkin’.”

Casey forced a weak smile on her face as Hedwig smiled wickedly.

“Well, Mister Dennis is pretty strict so I can’t say I’m surprised,” Casey replied coolly. “But maybe if you get it from him one day, I can show you some of the movies I have on my phone.”

“What kinda movies?” Hedwig inquired, his interest piqued.

“Oh, I don’t know if you’d like them,” Casey replied nonchalant, her mind scanning for what would be popular with a kid nowadays. “I have a lot of action ones with robots and aliens and stuff.”

Hedwig’s eyes grew round as saucers. Standing up, he came to sit on Casey’s bed with her, his legs crossed and facing her.

“Those are my favorite kind of movies,” he said excitedly, “I have a robot in my room. It lights up and I also have another one that you can fight it with. Dennis says I’m too old for toys but Miss Patricia always buys ‘em for me if I’ve been good.”

“That doesn’t seem fair,” Casey replied, trying to be engaging and appearing empathetic. “Maybe you can _sneak_ the phone in one day.”

Hedwig’s smile suddenly faltered and he pulled back a bit, leaning on his palms. His eyes narrowed on Casey’s face, all the warmth left from them.

 “Mister Dennis said you’d be sneaky.”

Casey felt her stomach flutter in a panic and she forced a smile onto her mouth.

“Oh no, Hedwig. This isn’t me being sneaky. I just want to show you something on my phone,” she insisted, knowing she was coming across as desperate. “I think you’d like it. It’s really cool.”

“I don’t wanna get in trouble,” Hedwig replied, sliding off her bed and onto the floor.

Casey watched him go, wanting to call out. Without a word he had rushed out the door and locked it behind him.

Casey lowered herself back onto her bed, looking at the ceiling and feeling as hot tears slipped down her temples. The situation finally becoming crystal clear.

She wasn’t going to escape this time


End file.
